Brush control for carpet sweepers



May 13, 1952 F. w. PULLEN BRUSH CONTROL FOR CARPET SWEEPERS Filed March 50, 1946 IN V EN TOR.

Patented May 13, 1952 BRUSH CONTROL FOR CARPET SWEEPERS Fred W. Pullen, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to Bissell Carpet Sweeper Company, Grand Rapids, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application March 30, 1946, Serial N 0. 658,496

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements brush control for carpet sweepers.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a carpet sweeper in which the brush is automatically adapted to varying lengths or depths of nap of carpets or rugs on which the sweeper is used.

Second, to provide a carpet sweeper in which the brush is automatically adjusted to the proper sweeping position or relation on the nap without regard to the degree to which the wheels of the sweeper may be pressed into the nap.

Third, to provide a carpet sweeper in which the rotary brush is yieldingly urged to the nap and at the same time one in which the spring biasing stress on the brush remains approximately constant throughout the range of vertical movement of the brush relative to the floor wheels of the sweeper.

Fourth, to provide a carpet sweeper which may be easily operated and one which does not depend particularly on the skill of the operator for effective sweeping.

Fifth, to provide a carpet sweeper embodying these advantages which is economical in its parts and very durable in use and one which will not unduly wear or injure the carpet or rug on which it is used.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a carpet sweeper embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in longitudinal horizontal section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in vertical section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the details of the mounting for the brush springs in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the brush supporting slide or journal member and illustrating the relation of the springs thereto.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in section on line 6-6 of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of my invention, the modification being primarily in the spring mounting brackets.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary View partially in longitudinal section illustrating a further modification in the spring mounting.

My present invention is an adaptation and in some respects an improvement upon the invention of my Patent No. 2,418,725, issued April 8, 1947. I have shown only one end of the structure but it will be understood that the parts are duplicated on the other end of the structure. Further, certain parts are shown conventionally and only such parts are detailed as it is deemed necessary to give a complete understanding of a practical commercial embodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the casing is designated generally by the numeral l and comprises side members 2, 2 and end members 3 arranged in an inset relation to the ends of the side members. The end bar is, in the structure illustrated, relatively narrow but in some types of sweepers it is substantially of a width and shape corresponding to the sweeper casing, that form of end member not being illustrated as it is known in the art.

The floor wheels 5 are provided with floating axles 6 which are disposed longitudinally through the casing end members 3-see Fig. 6.

The bowed spring I is mounted on the angle bracket 8 which is secured to the end member 3 of the casing. The ends of the spring 1 are secured to the thrust arms 9 which extend from bearing members In, this mounting and biasing of the floor wheels being substantially as shown in prior patents issued to the applicant and therefore not further detailed herein.

The rotary brush H is provided with a pulley 12 which is drivingly associated with the floor wheels 5. The brush is mounted for vertical floating movement, the journal l3 of the brush being provided with a slide I 4 having laterally ofiset flange-like slideway engaging portions It. The assembly comprising the parts l3, Hi and it constitutes a journal member.

The bracket 8 which is angled to depend at the outer side of the brush pulley is slotted vertically to provide a slideway I6, the end bar 4 being disposed at the outer side of the slideway in supporting engagement therewith and preventing outward movement of the slide or journal member although in the structure illustrated the springs I! also limit the outward movement of the slide and in effect retain it with its flanges in sliding engagement with the slideway of the bracket. However, the bar serves as a guard for the slide and, in the embodiment illustrated, constitutes an outer bearing member for the slideway engaging parts IS. The slideway I5 is formed by striking in flange-like portions It on the bracket.

The brush journal or sliding member is yieldingly urged downward by means of the springs l l.

The springs I! are rod springs and are slidably engaged in the openings l 9 in the journal member, see Fig. 5, desirably in the horizontal axial plane of the journal as illustrated.

The outer ends of the springs are supported by angled brackets 20 secured on the inner side of the projecting ends of the side members 2 of the casing and having loops 2| struck out therefrom to provide eyes receiving the ends of the springs. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 8 the springs I"! are attached as indicated at Hi to the slide, their outer ends being slidably engaged in the loops 2 of the bracket 26. By

. mounting the springs on the supporting brackets on the casing relatively long strips may be used.

By thus mounting the springs they may be of very substantial length and as they are arranged in substantially a horizontal position their inner or flexed ends have very little movement throughout the full range of movement of the brush and floor wheels relative to each other with a result that the biasing'stress thereon does not vary greatly or, in other words, remain substantially the same throughout the full range of vertical movement of the brush relative to other parts of the structure.

The result is that springs suitable to secure the proper sweeping action are readily provided and this proper sweeping action is maintained whether the sweeper is used on a floor or on a carpet or rug, and on carpets or rugs of varying depth of nap. This is of very great importance as it prevents undue sweeping or brush action on delicate rugs or carpets or on rugs or carpets having long or deep nap and this without regard to the care or skill of the operator.

In carpet sweepers of commercial types, other than the one shown in my said Letters Patent, it has been the practice so far as applicant is aware to provide structures in which the pressure on the handle is the controlling factor as to brush action. The applicant has departed from this principle and has provided a structure in which the sweeping action not only is not dependent on the pressure thrust which the user may exert but remains substantially constant throughout the range of movement of the brush despite such thrust that may be imparted by the user, it being the applicants purpose and accomplishment of this invention to secure an efiicient sweeping action without regard tothe manipulation by the user other than the mere matter of translating the sweeper back and forth on the surface to be swept and to secure such efficient sweeping action with a minimum of wear on the carpets or rugs or injury to the nap.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. '7, the spring supporting brackets 22 are mounted on the end members 3 of the casing instead of on the side members of the casing as shown in the other embodiments described.

I have illustrated and described my invention in practical embodiments thereof. I have not atber, the ends of the side members projecting beyond the end member, floor wheels disposed on J a casing comprising side members 4 the outer side of the and member, a brush provided with a pulley cooperatively associated with the floor wheels, a bracket mounted on the casing end member to depend at theouter side of the pulley, said bracket being provided with a vertical slideway, an end bar disposed on the outer side of said bracket in thrust sustaining relation thereto and constituting an outer member for said slideway, a brush journal member mounted on said slideway for vertical movement, elongated springs having their inner ends slidably engaged with said journal member at the inner side of said slideway, and spring supporting brackets on the innersides of the projecting ends of said casing side walls and with which the outer ends of thesaid springs are supportingly engaged, the springs being disposed horizontally in substantially the horizontal plane of the journal member and with their inner ends slidably engaged with said journal member on opposite sides thereof and being of such length that the biasing stress on the brush is approximately constant throughout the vertical range of movement of the brush. 2. In a carpet sweeper, the combination with and an end member, floor wheels disposed on the outer side of the end member, a brush provided with a pulley cooperatively associated with the floor wheels, a bracket mounted on the casing end member to depend at the outer side of the pulley, said bracket being slotted vertically to provide a slideway, a brush journal member mounted on said slideway for Vertical movement, said journal member projecting from the inner side of the bracket through the slot thereof and having flange-like members projecting away from each other and slidably embracing the outer side of the bracket adjacent the opposite vertical edges of the slot in the bracket, elongated springs having their inner ends slidably engaged with said journal member at the inner side of said slideway, and spring supporting brackets on said casing with which the outer ends of said springs are supportingly engaged, the springs being disposed horizontally in substantially the horizontal plane of the journal member and with their inner ends slidably engaged with said journal member on opposite sides thereof and being of such length that the biasing stress thereof on the brush' is approximately constant throughout the, vertical range of movement of the brush.

3. In a carpet sweeper, the combination with a casing and floor wheels, of a brush provided with a pulley operatively associated with said i'ioor wheels, a slideway support member mounted on said casing and disposed at the outer side of the pulley, said support member being vertically slotted to provide a vertical slideway, a brush journal member mounted on said slideway for vertical movement, said journal member projecting from the inner side of said support memher through the slot thereof and having flangelike members projecting away from each other and slidably embracing said support member on the outer side thereof adjacentthe oppositevertical edges of the slot in theSl DDort member, and elongated springs secured at their outer ends to said casing and having their inner ends slid ably engaged with said journal'member, the springs being disposed horizontally in substantially the horizontal plane of the journal member and, with their ends slidably engaged with said journalmember on opposite sides thereof and being of such length that the. biasing stress thereof on the brush is approximately constant throughout the vertical range of movement of the brush.

4. In a carpet sweeper, the combination with a casing and floor wheels, of a brush provided with a pulley operatively associated with said floor wheels, a support member carried by the casing and disposed at the outer side of said pulley, said support member being vertically slotted to provide a slideway, a journal member for said brush mounted on said slideway for vertical movement, said journal member projecting from the inner side of said support member through the slot thereof and having flange-like members projecting away from each other and slidably embracing said support member on the outer side thereof adjacent the opposite vertical edges of the slot in the support member, elongated horizontally disposed springs having their inner ends engaged with said Journal member on opposite sides thereof, and spring supporting brackets on said casing for slidably supporting the outer ends of said springs, said springs being disposed horizontally in substantially the horizontal plane of the journal member, said springs being of such length that the biasing stress thereof on the brush is approximately constant throughout the vertical range of movement of the brush.

5. In a carpet sweeper, the combination with a casing and floor wheels, of a brush provided with a pulley operatively associated with said floor wheels, a support member carried by the casing and disposed at the outer side of the pulley. said support member being vertically slotted to provide a slideway, a journal member for said brush mounted on said slideway for vertical movement, said journal member projecting from the inner side of said support member through the slot thereof and having flange-like members projecting away from each other and. slidably embracing said support member on the outer side thereof adjacent the opposite vertical edges of the slot in the support member, elongated horizontal- 1y disposed springs having their inner ends engaged with said journal member, and spring supporting brackets on said casing for the outer ends of said springs, said springs being disposed horizontally in substantially the horizontal plane of the journal member and being slidably engaged at at least one end thereof, said springs being of such length that the biasing stress thereof on the brush is approximately constant throughout the vertical range of movement of the brush.

- FRED W. PULLEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 224,316 Wing Feb. 10, 1880 250,922 Johnson Dec. 13, 1881 555,052 Raymond Feb. 18, 1896 1,064,982 Murdick June 17, 1913 28 Miller Jan. 14, 1941 2,278,736 Poggensee Apr. 7, 1942 2,307,156 ,Pullen Jan. 5, 1943 2,418,725 Pullen Apr. 8, 1947 

